Playing in the Dark
by tatterdemalion
Summary: A lion cub witnesses a gruesome event done by hyenas, but when the Pridelands are turned upside down by the arrival of humans, she must team up with those she hates to restore order. Set before Mufasa's time...
1. Prolouge

Prologue 

The day had come to a close. The sun was lowering itself below the horizon, and the dusky sense of night hung in the air like a thick blanket of fog.

Near Pride Rock, two well fed, freshly groomed cubs scampered towards a cave inside the rock, which was the lionesses sleeping quarters.

An old, tired looking lioness was dozing in the afternoon sunlight a little inside the cave, directly on a warm sunbeam. The first cub, of tawny golden colour with black rings of fur around the lining of his ears and reddish-gold eyes, pawed the lioness slightly on the shoulder.

"Grandma! Wake up!" She opened her clear violet eyes and smiled wanly. "Well, well, well. The young prince Simba and his friend Nala! To what do I owe this honour?"

"Mom told me we could hear a story before we went to sleep," Simba said, indicating to his friend Nala, who was fair furred and green eyed. The lioness got up on her haunches. "A story eh? What would you like to hear? One of the old fables?"

"No! A new one! One we've never heard before!" the young cubs chorused. The lioness' eyes twinkled. "A new one? Well, I've got the perfect one for you…."


	2. Hunting Lessons

**Chapter 1: Hunting Lessons**

"Nakiii!" Mamello whined, hidden behind a thick clump of African bushes.

"You're taking so long!"

"Shut up Mamello!" Naki hissed out of the corner of her mouth. She flexed her foreleg muscles and curled her tail underneath the foliage

"Have patience."

"But you've been crouching over there forever, and it's getting so boring!" Mamello protested, winding her claw idly around a scampering bug that scrabbled to get away from the lion cub in front of it. All Mamello could see of her sister were the flecks of warm gray that decorated her pelt, and the scar running down her right back leg where she had been injured chasing after an elephant that suddenly turned on her. Everything else was camouflaged neatly in the golden Savannah grass. The sleek, lithe lioness with smooth fur like the warm glow of a setting sun and the piercing green eyes sighed.

"Mamello," Naki called softly, trying not to disturb the herd of antelope that lay tantalizingly close to her. "What's the first rule of being a huntress?" Mamello groaned.

"Mamello," Naki growled warningly.

"All right, all right. The first rule of being a huntress," she recited, "Is to be patient and never make any sounds that could clue your prey that you are there."

"Excellent! So just sit tight and wait until I catch something."

"Then can I try?"

"Not yet. We have to go over pouncing and stalking first."

Mamello sat back, frustrated. This wasn't fair; she was as good as Naki, or Mama, or any ne of the other lionesses. Mamello's amethyst eyes flashed angrily, and her dark golden tail twitched on the ground. Naki tensed, her ears flat on her head. She spotted her victim, and pounced. The other antelope scattered like a group of flies, the elder stumbling on his weak legs after some of the antelope. Naki jumped on his back, snapping his neck with one jerk, and they both crumpled to the ground.

"Wow!" the tawny young cub jumped onto a rock to glimpse her sister as Naki ripped open the antelope's jugular vein just to make sure he didn't get up and run away.

"That was great!" the little cub exclaimed, rushing towards her sister. Naki gave her little sister a warm smile, then glanced at the horizon. The sun was slowly setting, spreading a chilling blood red light over the Savannah. Naki stifled a gasp.

"We need to get home NOW Mamello."

"Why?" Mamello glanced at the frightened expression on her sister's face. "Naki, what's wrong?"

"Hurry hon. We don't have much time. Come run along side me. Pace yourself, and we'll get home in no time." The two of them hurried off together. Night was falling rapidly. Strange deformed shadows stretched over the solid earth, warping themselves into new dimensions. Mamello felt cold hard fear grip her heart. She hurried to keep up with her elder sister. Naki wore a face of grim fear. Suddenly, an eerie cry ripped through the air.

"Ow-whoop! Ah-whoop!"

"What was that Naki?" Mamello questioned, twisting around to see over her shoulder.

"No Mamello! Just keep running!" Naki's eyes held tears. Mamello was so full of fear; it was hard to keep up with her sister. They slowed down under a large baobab tree. Naki looked at her sister. "Get on my back," she ordered.

"What?" Mamello asked, confused.

"Get on my back!" Naki repeated urgently. "Hurry, there's not much time. I'll give you a boost, and you climb to the very top of the tree, and you wait until I can find Mama and we can come back for you, alright?" Mamello nodded her head, and climbed onto her sister's back. Naki stretched her head back and gave her sister a warm lion kiss, her sandpapery tongue making Mamello giggle.

"I love you," Naki said solemnly. "Now get up onto that tree!" Mamello obeyed, digging her claws in and looking like a waddling land bound crocodile. Mamello watched between the gourd-like fruits as Naki galloped off into the night, disappearing quickly. Mamello made herself as comfortable as possible and started to wait patiently.

& & &

Naki slowed to a walk as the darkness closed around her. She looked around and, hearing the howls of hyenas drawing nearer, drew deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. Hopefully, they wouldn't even think of going back if they spotted her out here all alone and vulnerable. Mamello would be safe and...well... '_My gods, I'm going to die!_ A voice inside of Naki's head shouted, filled with horror and disgust. _I'm going to be ripped apart by these beasts, and I'll never see Mama, or Mamello again!'_

Bile welled up in her throat and she swallowed it down again, wincing at the sour taste. The hyenas shared the land with the lions, that was true, and they showed great respect for the lionesses when they were hunting, but a lioness all by herself was too great a temptation for a hyena hunting party of around 10 able hyenas to resist. Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes. Finding her voice, Naki whispered.

"Who's there?"

"Just me." Came a sneering voice, oh so cold, and full of malice.

"Who's... me?"

"Why don't you ask us?" another voice answered from the shadows. Naki swallowed and looked around. She was surrounded by pairs of gleaming yellow eyes, dark hunched figures poised for the kill, a death trap in the shadows.

Soft giggling of hyenas enveloped her, like fire igniting a circle of dry brush, breaking into maniacal laughter that crackled and fed the fear welling up in Naki's soul like the heat wafting out of a geyser. The leader stepped forward, teeth gleaming from the light of the moon. "There, there. Don't be scared dear," she mocked the lioness softly. "It will only hurt for a minute." More laughing.

"Why kill me?" Naki asked, voice beginning to quake. "The-there's an antelope back there that I killed," Naki stammered. "It's fresh, and you can have it, if you like."

"Ah," came the voice of the hyena, "But there's so much more meat on a lioness, don't you agree?" Again, the laughing came, encircling her in the eternal darkness. "Have a safe sleep love." The lead hyena chuckled, before the hunting party enveloped Naki in a sudden rush of claws, teeth, and yellow eyes, which was the last sight Naki saw before she was aware of the jaws sinking into her chest.

A/N: Yuppers. My first chapter of my story! Please tell me what you think! Not too harsh flames please…this is my first Lion King fanfic cowers behind chair


	3. Faith Untold

Chapter 2: Faith Untold 

Mamello squeaked in fear as the roar of her sister echoed throughout the dry Savannah. Mamello slid down the tree trunk cautiously, digging her claws slightly into the peeling bark. Down below, she was aware of a shadowed figure gazing up at her from between a clump of African Savannah grass.

"Naki?" Mamello whispered to the darkness. "Is that you?" Without answering, the figure picked her up in its jaws. Mamello relaxed. Naki was here, and she was taking her home. But as they exited the shadows of the baobab tree, Mamello froze. The jaws belonged to the grey, drawn face of a hyena, padding along silently on her paws. Mamello started to cry. The hyena set her down and looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

"It's okay," the hyena reassured her. "I'm taking you to see your sister."

A little ways away, a hunting party of hyenas was gathered around an animal carcass, tearing pieces of meat off of the bones. The matriarch stood nearby, with something that was probably the leg of the animal. She snarled at the approaching hyena. "Why did you bring her here?" she hissed.

"That was wrong!" the hyena protested. "This little cub is all alone now!"

"Well, don't bring her cub over here. Leave it."

"We can't leave her here Jaha!"

The hyena called Jaha regarded Mamello coldly. "Obioma, it's the Circle of Life. They shouldn't have been out here without their pride. They were foolish enough however, and they got what they deserved."

Jaha turned away.

"But Jaha…"

"I said leave her!"

Obioma sighed in defeat and nuzzled Mamello gently.

"Honey, I'm so sorry." Obioma then turned away and padded off towards her other pack members. Jaha ate in silence, while Mamello watched her, too shocked to say anything. After awhile, Jaha looked up.

"Well? Go, before I change my mind and have young lion meat for an evening snack!" she snarled. Mamello took a step back. Suddenly, the light of the moon shone on Jaha's prey, and Mamello was able to see the scarred leg of a corpse, half eaten by the teeth of a hyena. A little ways away, the head slowly rolled over, displaying unseeing eyes and an open mouth. Paralyzed with fear, Mamello backed away, and ran into the shadows.

& & &

"……..Let Aheiu pray for her soul," the king finished, warm tears streaming down his face as the lionesses offered Mamello and Yejiso, Mamello's mother, condolences, and went into their dens for the night. The king, a young adolescent named Ahadi, approached Yejiso, and nuzzled her sympathetically. "I offer you my sorrows," he told her gravely. She smiled thinly. "I thank you My King." Mamello nuzzled her mother. "Mama, I'm scared." Yejiso licked her on the face. "Honey, we must be brave. Naki's in a better place right now, and she's happy."

That may have been so, but there would have been no way even the gods could have erased the memory of her sister's blank milky eyes staring up at her as they slowly filled with blood…

A/N: Yay! My second chapter up!

Riverwood: Yes, I know the first chapter was very…squished. I tried to fix it, I don't know if it worked, but thank you for reviewing!

Lady Nova: Wow! You actually truly liked it! makes a shrine in your honor


	4. Dinner Time

Chapter 3: Dinner Time 

"Lemme up Rukiya!" Shomari squirmed under his sister's paws planted firmly on his chest. br 

"Rukiya let me up!"

"Say who the boss is!"

"No!"

Rukiya pinned her brother.

"Okay, okay!" Shomari gave up.

"Say it!" Rukiya told him gleefully. He sighed.

"You're the boss…" he admitted finally. Rukiya let him up as she bounded around the cave. "Yes! I'm the boss! I'm the boss!"

Shomari waited until she turned her back to him, then growled and leapt on her. The two rolled around the dusty floor of the cave. Their younger sister, Pamoja, watched them. "Oh please can I have a turn?" she pleaded. Rukiya looked up. "But we're training." She informed her sister. "Plus, you're too little."

"Training for what?" Pamoja questioned. Rukiya sat up proudly. "Mama says if I'm good enough, I can lead the hunt!"

"The hunt for what?" Pamoja asked.

"The hyena hunting party!" Rukiya snapped at her sister. "Seriously, you're so thick. Since I'm going to be the matriarch when Mama dies, I have to learn how to take leadership."

"Wow…" Pamoja stood in awe as she gazed up at her big sister in admiration.

The three tawny hyena siblings were inside their cave, which was located in a large elephant skull in a damp, musty place dubbed, "The Elephant's Graveyard". It was named so because elephants would deposit the bodies of their friends and relatives so they could rest in peace. Suddenly, Jaha appeared, lugging a large piece of raw meat that trailed blood from the open wound. "Mama!" the three pups squealed as they rushed towards their mother. "My children!" she replied in earnest, giving them each a hearty lick on their noses. "Come feast my children! Your mother has had a very good day!"

An old female stood at the entrance to the cave. "Yes, a hearty day of murdering." Jaha shot the old hyena a venomous gaze.

"Not now Obioma!" she hissed between clenched jaws. Obioma ignored her and padded up to the siblings.

"Angels," she whispered softly. "Do you know where that meat came from?" The two elders, Rukiya and Shomari, had their faces stuffed with meat and could only shake their heads.

"An antelope?" Pamoja guessed half-heartedly, nervously pausing, her jaws open.

"It came…from a lioness." Obioma continued. "And that lioness had a young charge that is probably all alone in this world now." Jaha rolled her eyes in annoyance. Rukiya and Shomari continued eating, unfazed by this announcement. Only Pamoja looked on in horror, her side of the leg untouched.

"A lioness?" she repeated fearfully. "Oh Mama, will you get in trouble with the king?" Jaha approached her youngest daughter and nuzzled her affectionately. "Only if he finds out honey flower."

"This is madness!" the old hyena shrieked. "This will only bring misfortune upon this clan! Doom and misfortune!" Jaha stood up.

"Obioma!" she said sternly. "If you insist on frightening my pups, then leave!" Obioma glared at her as she loped towards the cave entrance. "You have cursed us all!" she hissed. "LEAVE!" Jaha barked sharply. Obioma flattened her ears and brought her head down.

"Yes my Matriarch," she grumbled, as she high-tailed it for the murky sunlight.

& & &

A/N: Augh! My Document Manager is giving me heck! So many things to do! Excuse me if there are some bugs…I haven't quite figured out how to work this thing yet…


	5. Maisha Ya Milele

**Chapter 4: Maisha Ya Milele (Life Everlasting)**

"Come on Mamello, get up!"

The tawny female cub lying dull and lifeless on the slab of stone shook her head slowly. Her companion, a darker male cub with piercing blue eyes, hunched down in desperation. "Mamello, please! You haven't eaten breakfast yet!"

"I don't want to Danso…" Mamello mumbled. "Ever again."

Danso crouched down and peered into his friend's eyes. "But you gotta eat! Otherwise you'll die!"

"Good. I don't wanna live anymore Danso. Naki's gone." Danso looked pained. "Maybe I should get your mom…"

Mamello started crying. "No! Mamello, stop crying!" Danso frantically attempted to push her up onto her feet. "We'll go for a walk okay? And when we come back, you'll feel better."

Mamello didn't say anything, but she did get reluctantly to her feet to follow her best friend down the stone cliff.

& & &

"Mamello! Look at the butterfly!" Danso attempted a half-hearted laugh as he stumbled along after the butterfly. Usually his clumsy antics at butterfly chasing would make Mamello break out in laughter. Today, she sat on her haunches, gazing across the Savannah with dead eyes. Danso stopped and came over.

"Mamello, I know Naki's gone and everything, but…you can't waste away down here either. Naki wouldn't like that. And you know what Naki does when she's upset with you."

For a moment, Mamello had a fleeting image of the clouds parting and Naki's face coming down, screaming at her. She allowed a small smile to play across her lips. She crouched, waggled her rump, and waited to pounce down Danso.

Just then, she heard a sound. Cocking her ear, she listened. They were words, but unlike any she had heard. They were smooth and sly, with a quality of a snake's whisper as it slithers across the dry grass, chopped up by small pauses as the speaker caught a breath. It was nothing like the purrs and leonine language she had grown up with. Her attention now focused on the sounds, she slipped past Danso and slid cautiously through the bushes.

"Mamello?" Danso called, seeing his friend disappearing into the flora. "Mamello wait up!" he yelled, running after her.

"Sssh!" she hissed at him, as Danso clumsily snapped a dry twig that lay on the ground. Hackles raised Mamello crouched down, as she had watched her sister do so many times while hunting, with her tail flicking slightly. She crept through the thick branches, Danso following carefully. What Mamello saw on the other side shocked her. There were three creatures sitting around a small fire. They were much taller then her, but that was because they were standing on two legs. Their front legs were much smaller then their back legs.

They must be deformed or something, Mamello thought to herself.

If the creatures had fur once, most of it was gone, leaving their flesh showing, which they had covered with weird outfits that were different colors. The only fur they had left was on the top of their heads.

'They're horrible! They must be demons or devils that can control fire and keep it confined in one area!'

Mamello's hackles were raised, Danso stifling a sickened gasp. The creatures were talking again. Their strange language, grunts, groans, and strange sounds that seemed to come from their throat as they threw their heads back, was hurting Mamello's ears. Her shoulder muscles twitched. What was also unnerving was the fact that the creatures would swing their front legs in gestures as they communicated. Danso drew back in horror. "Let's get out of here!" he gasped. As he stepped back, he stepped on his own tail, which was tucked underneath him. Danso uttered a small shriek. The creatures stopped talking. One picked up a shiny stick that glistened off the firelight, and approached the bushes. Mamello could hear them talking…

Jeez, it better not be one of those snakes again. I hate those things.

Aw jeepers, you are such a wuss, really!

Man, just go and find out what it is!

Mamello squealed as the bushes were pulled aside, and a face came towards her. It had small eyes, a bit of fuzz surrounding its mouth…

It's a lion!

We can see it's a lion dingbat!

It's just a cub, by the looks of it

There's another one!

Strong paws picked up Mamello by the scruff of the neck, another reached for Danso. They were then placed in a small, confined area with more shiny sticks…

Well, you can call 'Boss' and tell him we've got two lions

What a stroke of luck! Now we won't have to get up at the crack of dawn and tranquilize a bunch of lions.

Maybe we'll get a bonus. After all, these cubs will live longer in the zoo then two adults.

That only leaves the hyenas. Then Mr. Allendale's zoo is complete.

Danso, who was gnawing at the sticks determinedly, looked up in time to see one of the creatures throw what looked like a large leaf over the small space. Then everything went dark.

& & &

A/N: Yay! Another chapter! Thank you so much for reviewing, I really needed that. Oh, just to let you know, the cubs can't hear what the humans are saying, it's just there so me, Ms. Lazy-Butt doesn't have to figure out how to weave all that explaining into the story. Okay, see you next chapter!


	6. Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 4: Ashes to Ashes

"Jaha!" Ahadi stormed into the cave, eyes burning with fury. Pamoja whined  
and scurried away from her mother. Obioma followed slightly behind the Lion  
King. Jaha narrowed her eyes at the old hyena, and winced slightly as she  
stood up to face Ahadi.

"Yes My Liege?"

Ahadi's eyes burned with fury. "A hyena and a lion both said you killed one  
of my lionesses! Is that true?"

Jaha turned to her pups. "Please go outside. The king and I have to talk."

The trio scurried out, Pamoja casting a fearful glance over her shoulder at  
her mother before disappearing into the murky sunlight.

The pups wandered through the dusty bones of the Elephant's Graveyard.  
Rukiya pushed a bone out of her way with her paw. "It's not fair!" she  
muttered. "He didn't even let us say goodbye!"

"Yeah," Shomari agreed. "Stupid lion!"

Pamoja looked at her siblings incredulously. "We'll see her when we get  
back." She offered.

Her elder sister gave her a hard look. "Are you really that thick?" she  
asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know the penalty for killing a Pride Lion?"

"No."

Rukiya lowered her voice. "Mom's not coming back. Ever."

Pamoja pulled back, startled. "But, he can't do that! We have nowhere to go  
now!"

"Obioma will take care of us." Shomari mumbled as he put a paw around his  
baby sister's shoulders. Pamoja drew back.

"But she was the one who exposed Mama!"

"Life works that way," Rukiya told her sternly. "We just have to accept  
that."

"No!" Panicked, Pamoja ran full-fledged across the barren field of bones,  
disappearing beyond a slope.

Rukiya started after her, but Shomari growled deep in his throat. "Let her  
go...little wimp." He turned away, Rukiya glancing over her shoulder again  
before following her older brother.

& & &

Wow. Short chapter, I know, even thought I promised. But I'm really lazy  
right now. Oh wait, I'm lazy all the time. PD day, whoo-hoo! Anyways, thank  
you all for reviewing! I'll have a longer chapter next time, I promise.  
This time I'm serious. Really.


	7. Collision Course

Chapter 6: Collision Course

Mamello rolled over and hit something cool and hard. Yawning, her mouth dry and her eyelids heavy, she rolled the other way and hit something warm and squishy. Kneading her paw into the surface, she purred slightly and licked the top of her nose.

"Hey, ah, Mamello?" Danso's muffled voice came from underneath her paw. "You're – squishing me…"

Giving a start, Mamello sprang up, knocking her head against the hard surface of their prison. "Oh! Sorry Danso…I'm used to sleeping next to Mama and Naki…" she trailed off sadly, averting her eyes. The shadow that was her friend in the dusky light of the oilcloth thrown over the cage nodded. "Yeah, I understand."

Danso glanced upwards. "Meanwhile, how are we going to get out of here?"

Mamello held back the choke in her voice. "I – I don't know. I don't even know where we are, it's so dark…"

As soon as the words left her, the cloth was yanked off the cage, and bright sunlight in a cloudy sky shone through. The cubs squinted in the sudden light. One of the strange creatures was staring down at them, his blue eyes crinkled in what looked like amusement.

Hey kitties! Sorry for the trip, driving from the Savannah to the Zoo can take a toll on a body, eh?

Mamello and Danso stared dumbly back at him, communication between the two species severed. The creature sighed heavily and held a paw lightly dusted in bristly black hair to his head.

Look at yourself Mac. Reduced to talking to dumb animals. Gabriel better hurry up with those hyenas.

Finished muttering, 'Mac' picked up the cage the cubs were in, making them ruthlessly slam against the far end of the cage and hauled it over to a strange stone structure.

& & &

"Hello?" Pamoja's voice echoed forlornly against the bones of the Elephant's Graveyard.

"Shomari? Rukiya? Obioma?" Pamoja's voice wavered.

"Mama?"

A crunch was heard, the sound of a splintering bone. Pamoja whipped around, fearful.

"Shomari, if this is your idea of a joke…" Pamoja warned, eyes wide with fright.

Another crunch was heard, as if the thing 'sneaking' up on her had never in their life heard of the art of subtlety.

All images of a brave matriarch forgotten, Pamoja turned on her tail and scattered. She could hear an explosion of strange, cutting sounds, a bundle of harsh-sounding exclamations from behind a small elephant's skull, and the crunching became more insistent, as whatever it was gave chase.

Looking over her shoulder in fright, Pamoja was unaware of the environment in front of her until she slammed head on into two larger bodies.

"OOF!"

Pamoja went tumbling down a hill, landing with an un-dignified thump on her behind.

"Pamoja?" Rukiya asked her worriedly, peering over the edge of the cliff. Shomari's leering face soon joined his sister's.

"Well! So the squirt finally caught up!" he snickered

"Shut up Shomari!" Pamoja cried tearfully over her brother's mocking laughter.

"There's – something out there. It…it chased me here."

Shomari rolled his eyes unkindly. "It was probably just another hyena."

"But, it – " Pamoja's protests were interrupted by another crunch, signifying the arrival of her pursuer.

"There it is!" Pamoja whispered fearfully as she scrambled up the hill.

Shomari stood tall as he addressed the pile of bones from behind the sounds originated.

"Who goes?" he barked sharply, drawing up his chest.

"I am Shomari, eldest son of Jaha the Matriarch, and I order you to show yourself!"

Pamoja caught a glint of light reflecting off an abnormally smooth, shiny bone protruding from the pile.

It didn't look much like a bone…

Pamoja gasped, her hackles raised. "Shomari! Look out – "

There was a bang and Shomari reeled back, a small needle sticking out from his foreleg. He swayed precariously on his feet before collapsing on his side, eyes lidded and whimpering softly. Rukiya stood over him, horrified.

"Shomari!"

"Go," Shomari urged her, his voice drowsy. "Take Pamoja and run. Don't worry about me!"

"Shomari…" Rukiya's eyes were full.

"Hurry!" Shomari urged. "Mama's dead, and if the pack loses both you and Pamoja, who will lead them?"

A thing was unfolding from behind its hiding place, stretching up into the sky, horribly tall with pale, naked skin…

"Rukiya!" Shomari snapped at his younger sister. He nodded towards Pamoja. "Hey squirt. Tell your stupid sister to run before she ends up like me."

He offered a smirk, but then his eyelids drooped and Shomari fell unconscious.

Howling in agony, Rukiya pulled on Pamoja's ear skin, causing her little sister to yelp in protest.

"Rukiya…" Pamoja whimpered, but Rukiya snarled at her in insistence, and the sisters ran from the limp form of their brother, up to where the shadows of the Graveyard coincided with the heat of the Savannah.

& & &

"Mamello, what are you doing?"

Mamello gazed around their new home. There were a few plants in the corner of the large room with bars in the front.

"Look Danso!" Mamello gestured to the far wall. In the distance, there was a beautiful Savannah, where lions were prowling. Excited, Mamello leapt towards them, only to smack her body against the wall.

"It's…fake?" Mamello yelped, rubbing her head with her paw.

Danso was staring forlornly out from the bars at multiple other boxes with bars situated along a winding path of hard white material, along which colourful flowers grew in beds of soil. Most of the boxes with bars were occupied with animals, some familiar like cheetahs lazily staring back at the cubs and flicking their tails in boredom, but some were unfamiliar, like chubby fish-like mammals with tails in a pool.

However, the box to the right of them, almost touching their box, was empty, save for a piece of meat, looking as if someone were expecting something.

& & &

A/N: Oh, booyah! My sixth chapter is finally up! Thank goodness! And you thought I had given up. Hah! Oh, and those weird symbols and everything? Yeah, they're gone now! (does victory dance). Yeah, I'm really pathetic…and I know I haven't answered any reviews except for two at the beginning, so here are my review answers!

REVIEWS:

Riverwood: I think my computer just hates me, but I fixed it! For good this time, hopefully! (crosses fingers)

SunRise19: Poetry format? Huh, that's a good idea! Thanks!

ClearGreenWater: Thank you so much! Hopefully, this chapter will make up for all the short and evilly hacked chapters so far…

Lady-X-Nova: Creepy? That's good. I was afraid to add more stuff because it might have come off all weird or just plain awkward…yeah…anyways, thanks for your review!

Bambi (1 review answer for three reviews, because I procrastinate, I'm lazy and…meh, I need a hobby): Omigosh, I'm so glad you like it! I love your story, your writing's amazing, thanks so much for taking the time to review!

K9: Yeah, paragraphs are not my strong point…thanks for the comment (oh, and by the way, they're chocolate chip cookies…)

Lady Battousai: Poor Naki and Jaha…thanks for reviewing though!

Bambi: Luckily, you haven't seen me at my descriptive worst…no seriously, I tend to over-describe EVERYTHING!

SunRise19: All in good time my dear… (evil laughter) …oh dear…

BRI: (hides from the fact that her friend is on knows about her story…and is reviewing it) yeah…o'course you're not a stalker…(walks away slowly) Thanks Bri-Bri!

Next chapter will be up…soon! Promise! Yes! Unless I die…(dies) mwa-ha-ha! I have stalled! (runs away)

Mamello: Yeah. She'll come back.

Danso: Soon.


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